High School Nationals

• Registration Opens: January 1, 2027, @ 5 PM EST
• Registration Closes TBD
• Qualifying Total Deadline: TBD
  • Note: There are no refunds for registered athletes not hitting their respective total
• Weight Class Change Deadline: TBD
  • Note: dependent on space in the session for the new weight class
• Withdrawal Deadline anytime before the start of the competition
  • Note: There are no refunds

Athlete registration will be limited to 750 spots.

• Team Registration Opens: January 1, 2027, @ 5 PM EST
• Team Registration Closes TBD
• Final Team Roster Due TBD

Achieve the qualifying total (QT) between January 1st of the previous year and the deadline. The QT can be achieved at:

• Any USA Powerlifting meet.
• A High School State Championships sanctioned by either USA Powerlifting or the state’s High School Powerlifting/Sports Association

Outside totals only apply to High School Nationals. Junior High School qualifying totals must meet the same criteria.

Note: If a lifter wants to go down to a lighter weight class, they must re-qualify in the lighter weight class before the entry deadline.
Note: Lifters may not be switched to the new weight class session depending on space available.

If you competed outside of USA Powerlifting, you can submit your qualifying total by following the link below.

Qualifying Total Submission

ALL QUALIFYING TOTALS ARE IN KILOS (KG)

Note: All qualifying totals are listed in kilograms (KGs)

Spectator and coach entry will open on February 1st. The link will be provided then.

Barbell Productions will be our official media team. Once their website is live with the pre-order link, we will update it here.

Interested in sponsoring USA Powerlifting High School Nationals? Contact us.

• Early Equipment Check: 5 - 7 PM
  • Albany Cap Center

• Friday, March 19
  • Session 1 - All Female JH, Male JH & All Female Raw JV
    • Equipment Check: 6:30 AM
    • Weigh-ins: 7 AM
    • Lifting Starts: 9 AM
  • Session 2 - All Male Raw JV, All Equipped JV & V & Male Raw V (52 & 56kg)
    • Equipment Check: 12:30 PM
    • Weigh-ins: 1 AM
    • Lifting Starts: 3 PM 
  • Early Equipment Check 

• Saturday March 20
  • Session 1 - Female Raw V (44, 48,52, 56, 60, & 65kg) & Male Raw V (60kg)
    • Equipment Check: 6:30 AM
    • Weigh-ins: 7 AM
    • Lifting Starts: 9 AM
  • Session 2 - Male Raw V (67.5, 75 & 82.5kg)
    • Equipment Check: 12:30 PM
    • Weigh-ins: 1 AM
    • Lifting Starts: 3 PM 
  • Early Equipment Check 

• Sunday March 21
  • Session 1 - Female Raw V (70 & 75kg) & Male Raw V (90 & 100kg)
    • Equipment Check: 6:30 AM
    • Weigh-ins: 7 AM
    • Lifting Starts: 9 AM
  • Session 2 - Female Raw V (82.5, 90, 100 & 100+kg) & Male Raw V 110, 125, 140 & 140+kg)
    • Equipment Check: 12:30 PM
    • Weigh-ins: 1 AM
    • Lifting Starts: 3 PM 

Only high school lifters may compete. All lifters must:

• Be a current member of USA Powerlifting
• Be a registered High School student (9-12th grade) at the time of the competition. Proof of enrollment and good standing are required.
  • Note: Early graduates are not eligible to compete
  • 7th and 8th grade will compete in the Jr High division. Jr High lifters that make the JV total can compete in the JV division, but may not be on a JV team.
• Not turn 19 years old before September 1 of the academic school year.
• Achieve the qualifying total (QT) between January 1st of the previous year and the stated deadline. The QT can be achieved at:
  • Any USA Powerlifting meet.
  • A High School State Championships sanctioned by either USA Powerlifting or the state’s High School Powerlifting/Sports Association

Have a new Qualifying Total since you entered Nationals?

No worries, you do not need to submit a change to the National Office. Our scoring manager will automatically incorporate your highest achieved total during the qualifying period (Jan 1 of the prior year, up to the entry deadline).

Check the roster to see whether your QT has shown up. TBD

If you competed outside of USA Powerlifting, you can submit your qualifying total by following the link below.

Please fill out this form: TBD
Questions? Contact [email protected]

All Coaches must:
1) Be a current USA Powerlifting Member (Read More Here)
2) Register as a Coach for High School Nationals by the published Deadline

USA Powerlifting approved equipment will be used on the platform and the warm-up area. There will be racks in the gear check room for you to obtain your squat and bench rack heights.

If you enter this event, you may be selected to be drug tested.  Lifters are notified by the Drug Testing Officer (DCO) at the completion of the lifting session.  

If you want to leave prior to the awards ceremony, you must check in with the DCO to make sure you have not been selected for drug testing. This includes: completing all your attempts and wanting to leave before the ceremony; weighing in and deciding not to lift; injuring yourself during the competition; withdrawing or bombing. In all these situations, you are still in the drug testing pool.

Failure to be available when called for drug testing will be considered a doping failure.

Medications prescribed by your doctor may be considered a prohibited substance.  You must check all your medications.  If the medication is prohibited, it may be allowed by receiving a Therapeutic Use Exemption (TUE).  

• Check your medications here: GlobalDRO
• TUE Application
• Anti-Doping Information

Please review the USA Powerlifting Rulebook to be informed.

All competitors must be full-time students in 7th-12th grade and be in good academic standing.

Submit Proof of Eligibility

See the instructions on the form to submit a group of students' proof of eligibility together.

Check the Eligibility Status spreadsheet to check that eligibility has been received and accepted.

Note: Please allow 24 to 48 hours for processing.

Only USA Powerlifting approved equipment is allowed at National events.  Please review the USA Powerlifting Rulebook to make sure your equipment (singlets, belt, knee sleeves, wrist wraps, etc) can be worn before gear check.

Need some new equipment? Don't worry, vendors will be there!

All weight-class changes must be declared using the Registration Portal. Inside your profile, you can change your weight class.

If you are moving up a weight class, your qualifying total in the lower class must be equal to or greater than the qualifying total of the higher weight class.

If you wish to go down in weight class, you will need to RE-QUALIFY in your new weight class by the 14-day weight-class change deadline published on this site.

Registration Portal

Unlike many local-level meets, weigh-ins are conducted by 'Lot Numbers.'  A lot number is a randomly assigned number to each athlete, within each session.  

When it is time for your weigh-ins, be there when it starts.  The Referee will call you in order of your assigned Lot Number, NOT by when you show up.  If you are not present when you are called, you will go to the back of the weigh-in order.

For more information, please refer to the Rulebook.

No. World Records can only be set at IDFPA competitions.

YES! National records can be set at any National Championships.

YES!  Any State record you break will automatically be credited once the results are uploaded into the results database.

Guest lifters are only allowed under the following conditions:

• If you did not make weight, you will be allowed to compete as a Guest in the weight class you were registered in.

Guest lifting is not permitted for anyone who has not met the qualifying totals or who cannot meet the criteria of our membership.